Children are growing up surrounded by AI-powered technologies, often without fully understanding how they work or the potential risks involved. Teaching AI literacy helps participants make smarter, more responsible choices and gives them the confidence to use AI technology in a safe and positive way.

In cocreation with researchers, experts, artists, and visitors, and in collaboration with NEMO Science Museum, we developed an interactive creative intervention aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge about AI among children aged 8 to 12. This process ultimately led to the interactive performance Unravel the AI Machine, which combines education, creativity, and awareness during an appealing hands-on experience.

At the heart of the performance is a unique ‘AI Machine’, designed by artist Maarten Bel, which allows visitors to explore in a playful way what AI is and how it works. Questions such as how AI learns, as well as its potential risks and ethical implications, are addressed in an accessible and engaging manner. The performance makes a complex digital topic understandable by translating it into a playful, and interactive experience. Afterward, children can ask questions and reflect together with the hosting artist and Movez Lab researcher David Blok, allowing a direct dialogue that deepens understanding. In addition to a structured script, there is ample room for spontaneous input and feedback from the audience.

This project is an initiative of Moniek Buijzen’s Erasmus Chair and part of AICON, in collaboration with NEMO. Both organizations brought together multidisciplinary teams that worked within a broader network of partners. This transdisciplinary collaboration is guided by three core elements: research, cocreation, and public dialogue, ensuring that all perspectives are central throughout the process.

By actively involving the audience and guiding them through how generative AI works, they develop a greater sense of control over the technology and build confidence in using it. The performance connects to the children’s everyday experiences, captures their attention, and uses humor and creativity to make learning enjoyable. In this way, participants gain knowledge and skills to navigate an increasingly AI-driven world responsibly and safely. The positive feedback from the audience led to further development and new collaborations in Rotterdam and beyond. 

Photo (c) Ben Houdijk